Centerboard snubber



April 18, 1967 G. H. YOUNG 3,314,390

CENTERBQARI) SNUBBER Filed March 2, 1965 INVENTOR GERALD H. YOUNG United States Patent O 3,314,390 CENTERBOARD SNUBBER Gerald H. Young, Summit, NJ. (Irvin and Welch Ave., R0. Box 113, Deale, Md. 20751) Filed Mar. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 436,548 7 Claims. (Cl. 114127) This invention relates to a centerboard for sailboats. More particularly, this invention relates to an adjustable centerboard for sailboats. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a releasable locking means for adjustable centerboards for sailboats.

While navigating a sailboat before the wind, that is, when sailing in the same direction as the wind, it is desirable to have a centerboard which can be raised out of the water so as to reduce the drag forces on the sailboat. On the other hand, when tacking into the wind, or reaching across the wind, it is desirable to have the centerboard lowered into the water to varying degrees in order to variably increase the resistance to tipping of the sailboat and otherwise trimming the craft. The devices which have been utilized in the past for centerboards have been made of various shapes and have sometimes been provided with a number of stop means in order to set the centerboards at predetermined positions. One of such devices utilizes a pentagonally shaped board with a central aperture and a pin means at its upper end. The pin means allows the board to pivot into a number of positions so as to change the center of lateral force of the board. Apertures permit the insertion of a second pin through the board to retain it in various predetermined heights with respect to the water. The drawback of this device is that only a few positions of the board are available to assist with proper navigation and trimming of the sailboat.

This invention generally provides an adjustable centerboard which is held in place by a releasable locking means. The centerboard is mounted within the usual centerboard housing means and the releasable locking means is mounted on the top of the housing means. The releasable locking means comprise-s a spring loaded arm which applies compressive locking force against the centerboard. Since the spring loaded arm is inclined downwardly away from the centerboard toward the pivot of the arm, as the centerboard attempts to move downwardly and attempts to urge the arm downwardly, the compressive locking force increases so as to prevent such movement as a result of a frictional lock in response to the compressive force against the centerboard and thereby its housing as well as the jamming effect caused by the engagement of the centerboard with the pivoted arm. On the other hand, when the sailor wishes to raise the centerboard this can be accomplished with one hand by simply grasping the top of the centerboard and lifting to any desired height and when he lets go the board will remain at the level at which it is released.

The spring loaded arm is dimensioned so that when the centerboard is removed from the housing means the arm can project into the opening therein. Further, the spring loaded arm is provided at one end with a tab portion which can be depressed manually, again with one hand, so as to raise the centerboard engaging portion of the arm out of locking engagement with the centerboard thus permitting the board to fall or be depressed.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable centerboard for sailboats.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable centerboard for sailboats which can be moved to any desired height with respect to the water.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple locking means for an adjustable centerboard for sailboats which can be operated manually either up or down with one hand.

3,314,390 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 These and other objects of this invention, as well as its nature and substance, will be more clearly perceived and fully understood by referring to the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents a view of the releasable locking means in situ on a centerboard housing;

FIG. 2 represents a part sectional side view of the releasable locking means of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 represents an exploded isometric view of all the components of the releasable locking means.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, especially FIG. 1, a centerboard 1 of any suitable type is positioned within a centerboard housing 2 of any suitable well known type. The releasable locking means 3 is mounted on the centerboard housing 2, as described hereinafter, and has a substantially rigid movable arm 4 which projectsinto the plane of the centerboard receiving aperture defined by the centerboard housing 2.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, the releasable locking means has a channel-shaped mounting means which comprises a front plate 5, a main portion 6 and a back plate 7. The main plate 6 is provided with a pair of opposed flanges 8, 9 one at each of its respective edges and a spring anchor lug 10 between flanges 8, 9. An adjustment set screw 11 is threaded through a suitable threaded aperture in the back plate 7 and has an enlarged pressure cap 12 received on the end thereof in any suitable manner, for example, by threading. A washer 13 is positioned between the pressure cap 12 and main threaded portion of the adjustment set screw 11. A suitable pressure pad 14 is secured to the inside surface of the front plate 5 in order to avoid scratching and marring of the centerboard housing 2 when the releasable locking means 3 is secured thereon. The pressure pad 14 can be made of any suitable material, for example, rubberized cloth.

The movable arm 4 is channel-shaped and is pivotally mounted on the channel-shaped mounting means by means of a suitable stud which is mounted at its ends in the flanges 8, 9 of the main portion 6. The stud, by way of example, is a threaded screw member 15 which is sized to pass through an enlarged aperture on each of the walls 17, 18 of the movable arm 4. A cylindrical sleeve 16 is positioned between the flanges 8, 9 of the main portion 6 and is of a diameter larger than the diameter of the apertures in the flanges 8, 9 and the threaded portion of the screw member 15 but smaller than the diameter of the apertures in the walls 17, 18. The walls 17, 18 are positioned inside the flanges 8, 9 around the sleeve 16 and the threaded screw member 15 is passed through the apertures of the flanges 8, 9 and walls 17, 18 and the bore of the sleeve 16 when they are in proper alignment until the head of the screw member abuts the first penetrated flange 9. A suitable threaded nut 19 is threaded onto the projecting end of the screw member 15 until it abuts the second penetrated flange 8. Tightening of the nut 19 will lock the screw member in place. The movable arm 4 is further provided with a stud shaft 20 which passes through slightly enlarged apertures in the upper portions of the walls 17, 18. The movable arm 4 also has a rounded end portion 21 on its upper portion which encompasses the stud shaft 20 in spaced relation. An upstanding tab potrion 22 is formed on the lower portion of the movable arm 4.

A coil spring 23 is secured at one end to the anchor lug 10 and at the other end to the stud shaft 20. The coil spring 23 is under tension so that it constantly urges the movable arm 4 towards the main portion 6 of the mounting means. Alternatively, the coil spring 23 may be secured to the movable arm 4 by being received on a suitable depressed lug portion which is punched out of the movable arm 4.

A pair of rollers, 24, 25, preferably rimmed with a frictional material such as relatively soft rubber, are rotatably mounted on the stud shaft 20, one at each end thereof and located outside the movable arm 4, Washers, designated 26, are disposed on the stud shaft one against each face of the rubber rollers 24, 25. The rollers 24, and washers 26 are retained on the stud shaft 20 by any suitable means, for example, by thereading one end of the stud shaft 20 for reception of a threaded locking nut 27.

The movable arm 4 of the releasable locking means 3 isdimensioned so that when it is mounted on the screw means 15, a part of the upper portion as well as the stud shaft 20 and, consequently, a major portion of each roller 24, 25 projects outwardly of the mounting means. As a result, when the releasable locking means 3 is mounted in place on a centerboard housing 2, the movable arm 4 will project into the plane of the centerboard receiving aperture of the housing v2.

In operation, the movable arm 4 is held out of the plane of the centerboard receiving aperture of the centerboard housing 2 by means of depressing the upstanding tab portion 22, preferably manually. The centerboard 1 which is sized to be received in the housing 2 with a slight clearance is then put in place and the tab portion 20 is released. The clearance dimension between the centerboard 1 and centerboard housing aperture walls is less than the amount by which the movable arm 4 projects into the plane of the centerboard receiving aperture. Thus, because the movable arm 4 is spring loaded, the rollers 24, 25 engage one face of the centerboard 1 in a manner which causes the centerboard 1 to be held in frictional engagement between the rollers 24, 2S and the opposite wall of the housing 2. Any subsequent force which moves the centerboard 1 downwardly and farther into the housing will cause the movable arm 4 to pivot downwardly farther into the plane of the centerboard receiving aperture thereby causing a frictional locking engagement of the centerb-oard 1 between releasable locking means 3 and the opposite centerboard housing Wall. Both the frictional locking engagement and the jamming effect prevent any further downward movement and hold the centerboard 1 at this position. The center boar d 1, however, can be moved upwardly by simply lifting it to any desired position or it can be released for further downward movement by pivoting the movable arm 4 in a direction away from the centerboard 1 by means of the upstanding tab portion 22 A centerboard which is mounted in the above manner can be raised and lowered into the water to any desired position within its vertical dimensions in order to provide the proper forces and centers of forces for navigating the sailboat within which it is located.

The mounting means of the releasable locking means can be modified to provide another form of adjustable mounting means by forming the main portion of two telescoping members whereby the width of the channel between the front and back plates is adjustable one member including a back plate and the other member including a front plate. A suitable threaded stud means is then provided to lock the telescoping members in position and to secure a spring anchor lug on the upper telescoping member for receiving the spring. The front and back plates are provided with suitable mar-preventing means such as rubber pads and rubberized cloth.

The mounting means may also be comprised of an L- shaped member with one leg of this member forming the front plate which extends parallel to and adjacent the centerboard housing and the other leg forming the main portion on which the locking means is mounted. In this embodiment holes are provided in the main portion so that this mounting means may be secured to the centerboard housing by means of screws, or the like.

It is to be noted that the materials of which the re- .4 leasable locking means are made must be corrosion resistant to sail water and sufficiently sturdy to absorb the forces imposed. Accordingly, all parts except the rollers and mar-resistant pads should be made of reasonably heavy gauge aluminum, brass or stainless steel.

While the invention is thus described, it is not wished that it be limited to the precise details described, as changes may be readily made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: a

1. A releasable locking means for centerboards comprising a mounting means, a substantially rigid arm means pivotally mounted on said mounting means, the length of said arm means from the point of pivotal mounting on said mounting means to one end thereof being greater than the longitudinal length of said mounting means from the point of pivotal mounting to the end thereof, resilient means connected to said mounting means between said point of pivotal mounting and said one end of said mounting means and said arm means between said point of pivotal mounting and said end of said arm means, and roller means mounted on the end of said arm means spaced from said resilient means and the point of pivotal mounting respectively and said resilient means urging said arm means in the normal position thereof to be inclined with respect to said mounting means with said roller means in an overhanging position with respect to an end portion of said mounting means.

2. A releasable locking means for centerboards comprising an adjustable mounting means having a channel shaped cross-section defined by a main portion having a pair of perpendicular flanges thereon and a locking means for securing said adjustable mounting means in place, a substantially rigid arm means pivotally mounted on said main portion of said mounting means, the radial extent of one end of said arm means from the point of pivotal mounting being greater than the radial extent of said main portion from the point of pivotal mounting, resilient means connected to said mounting means main portion between said point of pivotal mounting and said one end of said mounting means and said arm means between said point of pivotal mount-ing and said end of said arm means, and roller means mounted'on said one end of said arm means, and said resilient means urging said arm means in the normal position thereof to be inclined with respect to said mounting means with said roller means in an overhanging position with respect to an end portion of said mounting means.

3. A releasable locking means for centerboards comprising a mounting means, a substantially rigid arm means pivotally mounted at an intermediate point thereof on said mounting means and having an upturned tab portion on one end thereof for receiving an operating force to be applied to said arm means and a roller mounting portion on the other end thereof, said roller mounting portion extending radially from said intermediate point a distance greater than the longitudinal extent of said mounting means from said intermediate point, resilient means connected to said mounting means between said intermediate po-int and the end of said mounting means and said roller mounting portion between said intermediate point and said roller mounting portion urging said roller mounting portion towards said mounting means, and roller means mounted on the end of said roller mounting portion, and

the urging of said resilient means normally pointing said arm means to place said roller means in an overhanging position with respect to an end portion of said mount-ing means.

4. The combination of a centerboard housing having a centerboard receiving aperture therein; a centerboard received within said centerboard receiving aperture; and a releasable locking means mounted on said centerboard housing, said releasable locking means comprising a mounting means secured to said centerboar'd housing, a

substantially rig-id arm means pivotally mounted on said mounting means at an intermediate point thereof and adapted to project into the plane of said centerboard receiving aperture to an extent greater than the clearance between said centerboard and the walls of said centerboard receiving aperture, at least one roller mounted on the end of said arm means and engaging a face of said centerboard, and a resilient means connected to said mounting means between said intermediate point and the end of said mounting means adjacent said centerboard and said arm means between said intermediate point and said roller for urging said arm means farther into said plane of said centerboard receiving aperture.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said roller is resilient.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said resilient means is a coil spring.

7. The combination of a centerboard housing having a centerboard receiving aperture therein; a centerboard received Within said centerboard receiving aperture; and a releasable locking means mounted on said centerboard housing, said releasable locking means com-prising a mounting means secured to said centerboard housing, a substantially rigid arm means pivotally mounted at an intermediate point thereof on said mounting means and having an upturned tab portion on one end thereof for receiving an operating force to be applied to said arm means and a roller mounting portion at the other end thereof, said roller mounting portion adapted to project into the plane of said centerboard receiving aperture to an extent greater than the clearance between said centerboard and the walls of said centerboard receiving aperture, at least one roller mounted on said roller mounting portion and engaging a face of said centerboard and a resilient means connected to said mounting means and said roller mounting portion for urging said arm means about said intermediate point farther into said plane of said centerboard receiving aperture whereby said centerboard is locked against further movement into said centerboard housing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 69,496 10/1867 Saunders 114-130 2,012,926 8/1935 Golden 292-77 2,047,047 7/1936 Wirth 49-420 3,141,435 7/1964 Mofiitt 114-39 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS FOR CENTERBOARDS COMPRISING A MOUNTING MEANS, A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID ARM MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID MOUNTING MEANS, THE LENGTH OF SAID ARM MEANS FROM THE POINT OF PIVOTAL MOUNTING ON SAID MOUNTING MEANS TO ONE END THEREOF BEING GREATER THAN THE LONGITUDINAL LENGTH OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS FROM THE POINT OF PIVOTAL MOUNTING TO THE END THEREOF, RESILIENT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS BETWEEN SAID POINT OF PIVOTAL MOUNTING AND SAID ONE END OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND SAID ARM MEANS BETWEEN SAID POINT OF PIVOTAL MOUNTING AND SAID END OF SAID ARM MEANS, AND ROLLER MEANS MOUNTED ON THE END OF SAID ARM MEANS SPACED FROM SAID RESILIENT MEANS AND THE POINT OF PIVOTAL MOUNTING RESPECTIVELY AND SAID RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID ARM MEANS IN THE NORMAL POSITION THEREOF TO BE INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS WITH SAID ROLLER MEANS IN AN OVERHANGING POSITION WITH RESPECT TO AN END PORTION OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS. 